Monthly Archives: February 2016

The Price Debate

Some days I get emails, Facebookmessages, or comments asking how much something is.
I respond with a quote or price.Some days I get another email, message or comment, asking to proceed with the order.Some days I never hear back…

There is always an ongoing debate within the handmade, handcrafted industry.
The question behind it (more so from customers), is, “why are you so expensive”?
Or for some, their response is, “I can make it cheaper”, or “I can get a friend to make it cheaper”.

Fine. That’s cool. If you can get a friend to do it, go right ahead!
Just know that you are selling your friend short if you do. You are devaluing their time, and talent if you do.

Let’s take one individual felt flower, on a paper wire stem.

To start with I need felt fabric and the paper wire.I also need scissors and a glue gun. But before all that I need a car WITH petrol in it, that has a rego, and WOF too!
Just to go and get the fabric!

Now I’m home with all the items I need, I have to start the clock. I cut out each individual petal by hand. None of this lay out the patterns, or scan and cut machine business.(No offense to all my friends and family in business who work this way, I still admire your work greatly!!!) Call me old fashioned, but that is how I choose to do it. That is how my items become BESPOKE! Custom made. Unique. Individual. No two petals are the same! EVER!

To cut out one entire flower worth of petals, can take anywhere between 5 minutes to an hour,depending on the detail of the flower. Some flowers get extra detail added, e.g. with special fabric paint,
and let me tell you, that stuff ain’t cheap! I should add that painting extra details also adds more time on the clock.

Now that the petals are all cut, I then have to assemble the flower carefully onto the paper wire stem. More often than not, I burn my hands from using the hot glue gun. But that is the because I am being vigilant with how the flower is shaped. You don’t have much time to work with, when you are working with hot glue! Oh and don’t forget, using a hot glue guns needs electricity!

After all that, we have created a flower. A FLOWER! ONE! TAHI! Just one.

So if you want a whole bouquet, the majority of that process has to be repeated.
Numerous times! If you are wanting a mixed bouquet of flowers, then as mentioned earlier, the time it takes to make them can vary.

So next time you question the cost of something that is handmade, or hand crafted, consider what I have just said.

Car maintenance, house/electricity, desks, equipment, materials, labour.On top of that, include things like accounting, advertising, insurance, postage, packaging, labels, cards
. The list goes on…..
Hopefully after all that, the maker actually makes a profit! A lot DON’T!Every single cent of someones quote or price, includes more than just the obvious materials.